Katich's timely batting keeps Durham afloat

A late start under leaden skies did not promise riches but by the close Trent Bridge was bathed in sunshine and a match reduced to 28 overs per side had contrived to produce a last-ball finish from which Durham emerged with a two-run victory that keeps alive a slim chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages of this year's revamped Benson and Hedges Cup.

A half-century by the Australian batsman Simon Katich, followed by a vitally productive partnership of 55 in 33 balls from Paul Collingwood and Nick Speak, gave Durham a score of 174 to defend, after which the critical factor was Nottinghamshire's failure to support the splendid efforts of the gold award winner, Darren Bicknell.

Bicknell, having helped the captain, Jason Gallian, put on 98 for the third wicket, a partnership that at least gave Nottinghamshire a chance, was left stranded on 71 not out after Neil Killeen produced the perfect final delivery, straight and full, to bowl Paul Franks.

The former Surrey opener Bicknell, playing his first significant innings after his winter change of counties, faced 75 balls and hit two sixes after a slow start on a difficult pitch. So long as he remained, a target that had stood at 80 off 10 overs and then 41 off five was still in reach. But Durham, despite a poor day in the field that saw four catches spilled, managed to remove Paul Johnson and Chris Read at crucial moments, which finally tipped the scales.

The Katich 50, his first decent innings under the Durham badge, followed scores of one in each of the county's three previous Benson and Hedges matches. Two winters ago, the 24-year-old former Australian Academy captain attracted comparisons with David Gower and Allan Border after some eye-catching innings for Western Australia and Durham will hope yesterday's performance is an accurate indication of good things to come.

Following the early loss of Martin Speight, the first of three victims for David Millns after Nottinghamshire had decided to make Durham bat first, Katich guided the 17-year-old Nicky Peng through a difficult passage from which the youngster emerged with credit and completed an attractive half-century off 53 balls before giving a catch to deep midwicket.

Nottinghamshire, humbled by Lancashire and Derbyshire in their previous matches, have begun the season poorly despite an active winter of recruitment, but can at least console themselves with having made one good pick in Bicknell.

Scorecard

Durham

M P Speight c & b Millns 3 N Peng Gillender b Lucas 14 S M Katich c Haywood b Stemp 50 R Robinson run out 19 N J Speak c Bicknell b Millns 34 P D Collingwood c Haywood b Millns 31 J J B Lewis not out 5 J Wood b Franks 1 M M Betts b Franks 0 Extras 17 Total 8 wkts Innings Complete (28 overs) 174 Fall: 1-6 2-46 3-81 4-113 5-168 6-168 7-174 8-174 Did Not Bat: N Killeen, S J Harmison.

Bowling: Millns 6 1 35 3 Franks 6 2 32 2 Haywood 2 0 9 0 Lucas 5 0 33 1 Stemp 6 0 39 1 Gallian 3 0 22 0

Nottinghamshire

J E Morris c Speak b Wood 5 U Afzaal lbw b Betts 0 D J Bicknell not out 71 J E R Gallian b Harmison 47 P Johnson run out 11 C M W Read c Killeen b Harmison 15 G R Haywood run out 1 P J Franks b Killeen 6 Extras 16 Total 7 wkts (28 overs) 172 Fall: 1-5 2-6 3-104 4-130 5-160 6-162 7-172 Did Not Bat: D J Millns, D S Lucas, R D Stemp.

Bowling: Betts 5 0 44 1 Wood 6 0 16 1 Collingwood 5 0 29 0 Killeen 6 0 41 1 Harmison 6 0 38 2

Umpires: J F Steele and A G T Whitehead